Farming

Farming

Stay updated with farming news, tips, and seasonal insights through our “Cultivate” newsletter for farmers, designed to inspire and support the agricultural community.

Our  April/May 2026 Cultivate Newsletter  is now able to download here, Cultivate April May 2026 Newsletter it includes a roundup of recent activity and updates for the months ahead.

We’re delighted to announce the launch of the 2026 Cultivate Farming Photography Competition.

Farming is part of everyday life for so many people across Ireland, and we want to celebrate this. We’re inviting entrants to capture photos showing life on the farm and to highlight what makes Irish farming so unique. Entries are open to both Cultivate members and non-members alike. We will then have a fantastic collection of photos for release in our 2027 Cultivate Farming Calendar and across our socials.

In addition to the twelve winning photos featured in the 2027 calendar, there will also be a €1000  Ireland’s Blue Book voucher for one overall winner.

Competition entries are now open! 

How to enter: Take a photo that captures farm life and submit it through the entry form on the Cultivate CU page.  https://cultivate-cu.ie/

Competition will close September 30th 2026.

Please note: Photo entries should be in the landscape orientation for inclusion in the calendar. Images cannot contain any people’s faces, graphics or branding. Photo entries will be accepted in .JPEG / .JPG / PNG formats only.

See Terms and Conditions of entry here

Water Quality
Teagasc is advising farmers to use July to review soil test results and manage farm roadways to reduce nutrient runoff into water systems. Small actions now protect both your land and your compliance going into winter.
(Sources: Teagasc; Agriland)
If drainage or yard works are on the list and the budget is tight, Cultivate can help.
A Cultivate loan can help you spread the cost with farmer-friendly finance through your local Credit Union. Contact us today by calling 074 9361017 or visit or Cultivate loan page and use our loan calculator Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing
You can apply in branch or online Inishowen Credit Union | Apply Now
Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.
Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

As the weather warms up and schools have finished for summer, farmers are urged to remain vigilant with their farm safety. Young children should always be supervised on farms and near machinery.

A safe farm is a productive farm. Cultivate is here to help you invest in what matters, including the infrastructure that keeps your farm safe.

If you have been thinking about investing in your farm to improve safety, efficiency and success, our Cultivate loan can help you.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

The Cultivate loan has helped farmers around the country improve their farm infrastructure, and even diversify farm operations.

The Smith brothers, Andrew and Aodhagon, wanted to try something different, and are now selling their own milk to customers direct from the farm via milk vending machines on their farm.
"Without the Cultivate loan, we wouldn't have been able to do what we wanted to do in changing the genetics of the herd"
"The Cultivate loan has made life a bit easier".
Watch their full video below.
https://vimeo.com/1102251137?fl=pl&fe=sh

Start your Cultivate Loan application here Apply now

Nitrates poisoning as the rain returns

As rain returns after the dry spell, the Department of Agriculture is warning farmers to watch for nitrates poisoning in stock.

When grass grows faster than it can turn nitrates into protein, the nitrates build up in the plant. A cow can take in a toxic dose in about an hour, then show weakness and staggering. Heavy late season nitrogen and grazing too soon after spreading push the risk higher.

Talk to your vet about prevention if you are worried.

An unexpected setback like that can knock cash flow sideways, and we're here to help.

If you have been thinking about investing in your farm to improve safety, efficiency and success, our Cultivate loan can help you.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

EU Presidency

From today, Ireland will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months, and farming is front and centre of the agenda.
Minister Heydon has confirmed that one of Ireland's central priorities will be progressing discussions on the future of CAP post-2027.
The next six months matter for every farm in Ireland. While the negotiations play out, Cultivate is here for the financial decisions you need to make.

To find out more about our farmer-friendly finance call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

(Sources: Agriland; DAFM)

#Cultivate #FarmerFriendlyFinance

Agriland is advising farmers to use the summer months to get calf sheds properly cleaned and disinfected now. Bedding left sitting over the summer increases the level of bacteria present, raising the risks when calving comes around.
A job now saves a crisis next year. If shed repairs or upgrades are needed on your farm, Cultivate loans can help.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

Source: Agriland / ICBF, 7 March 2026

Crime Prevention
Rural crime is no longer isolated, according to the National Rural Safety Forum, who warned this week that farming communities are dealing with regular incidences of theft.
An Garda Síochána statistics show that 37% of tractors stolen from Irish farms had the key left inside. Simple steps matter to prevent these incidences.
Cultivate farm loans can help you invest in security upgrades, replace stolen equipment, or simply manage the financial shock of a bad incident.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

(Sources: Agriland; An Garda Síochána)

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

The European Commission is proposing to replace the current BISS entitlements system with a new per hectare payment scheme, provisionally called DABIS. IFJ reports a baseline rate of €130 to €240 per hectare, but how it lands for individual farms is still being worked out.

Such changes can cause uncertainty for farmers, making it difficult to plan. If there's a farm investment you've been putting off, it might be worth looking at your options before the picture changes further.

If cash flow is tight this spring, Cultivate can help. Farm finance made easy, with up to €75,000 unsecured and repayments built around your farm income.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

(Source: Irish Farmers Journal)

Teagasc's mid year outlook lands a sobering number. Family farm income for 2026 is forecast to fall 38% to €33,600. Dairy takes the hardest hit, down 49% to around €78,000 after a record 2025. Milk and cattle prices are down while fuel and fertiliser costs are up.

After a bumper year, the sensible move is to budget for a leaner one. Do a cashflow plan and talk to your credit union before a squeeze arrives, not during one.

Flexible repayments and decisions made locally.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears. This may affect your credit rating which may limit your ability to access credit in the future.
(Source: Teagasc)

Fertiliser Prices Are Climbing. Clover Is the Long Game.

Fertiliser prices rose 11.6% in the year to January, and that was before shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz pushed costs higher. Some Cavan and Monaghan suppliers quoted CAN at €560–580/tonne last week. Protected urea is hard to source at any price.

The long-term answer? Clover. Teagasc data shows total nitrogen usage has dropped 17% over three years, driven by tighter regulations, higher costs, and growing clover uptake. April is ideal for oversowing. It won't replace nitrogen overnight, but it builds resilience year on year.

If rising input costs are putting pressure on cash flow, talk to your local credit union. Cultivate offers farmer-friendly finance with local decisions.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

Sources: CSO, March 2026; Anglo Celt, 24 March 2026; Agriland/Teagasc, 28 March 2026

#Cultivate #FarmerFriendlyFinance

44% of Irish Soils Still Below Target pH

44% of Irish soils are still below the critical pH of 6.2.

Every unit of fertiliser on wrong-pH soil is money lost. Teagasc research shows correcting pH alone lifts nitrogen use efficiency from 35% to 53%. With fertiliser prices where they are, lime is the cheapest win on any farm, and it delivers a return in the year of application.

If liming, reseeding, or soil improvement is on the list this year, Cultivate can help. Farm finance made easy, with no hidden fees and decisions made locally.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

Source: Teagasc, 9 March 2026

#Cultivate #FarmerFriendlyFinance

Tirlán and Teagasc have launched FarmElevate, a new knowledge transfer programme built around seven "Lighthouse Farms" across the Tirlán catchment. The focus: productivity, animal health, farm costs, and sustainability.

The programme includes farm walks, webinars, discussion groups and a dedicated support service for development farms, covering everything from nutrient management to breeding and business planning.

Free, practical knowledge from farms that are doing it well. Worth a look if you want to tighten up how things are running this year.

If acting on what you learn means investing in your farm, Cultivate credit unions offer farm loans with no hidden fees and repayments that work around your income.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

Source: Agriland / Teagasc, 19 March 2026

#Cultivate #FarmerFriendlyFinance

Store cattle continue to attract strong demand at marts this spring, with good competition between wholesalers, butchers and factory agents at the ring. Factory quotes have eased in recent weeks, but the live trade is holding steady for quality lots.

With suckler-bred calf registrations running 12,000 head above last year for the first time in a decade, there are signs that confidence is returning to the suckler herd.

If you're buying stock this spring or investing in herd expansion, Cultivate offers flexible farm loans with fast, local decisions and no hidden fees.

Call 074 9361017 or visit our Cultivate loan page for more information, try out our handy loan calculator and find out how to apply. Farming Loans | Low-Interest Agricultural Loans & Farm Financing

Loans are subject to approval. T&Cs apply.

Source: ICBF via Agriland, 22 March 2026; Farmers' Journal / Bord Bia, March 2026